spend $ on old or on new(er)?

[SS109]

You're only as old as you feel. Most of my riding mates are older than me, and I'm older than you.

So I must admit the XTRAINER bought a couple of months back is awesome to hit that button. Much quicker and less strained than my mates 15 EC.

But tomorrow I'm riding my 07EC300. Starts like a charm on the kicker.

I only feel like that in the summer months. The heat has always kicked my butt and I had the smart idea to move to the desert when I was 27, lol. Now at 51, the heat takes even more of a toll on my energy. The winter time I'm good to go all day with my kick only bikes but I'm still going to add e-start to both.

The older bike i guess is more of a cool factor and i have in my mind how it can be....with a decent amount of $ into it. But why? I have a newer bike with anything i would want and more than i could put on the older bike. So i just need to get rid of the damn thing so i dont spend $ on it!

I love riding my older bikes. Makes the guys that drop $10k plus on a new one reevaluate their skills after getting passed by an older guy on my ancient "trail" bike KDX or even my now 10 years old Gasser.

My thinking was put that new Lectron carb on the 03 and not have to worry about anything. It will start on 1 kick everytime....or will it? If i fall will it start? Do they flood?

That "push to start" button looks nicer and lazier at 53. This is why Forums like this are great. To get opinions of others and help talk sense into things you know are dumb, you know is not a good financial decision. I have about 12 hrs riding since i bought the 03 in june, 2 hrs on the newer bike. I just need more seat time and dial in the suspension, maybe put the Lectron on the 19, look into the starter issue with these bikes and fix that before its a problem, and enjoy riding again.....hopefully not alone most the time lol

Eh, dirt bikes are never a good financial decision but who cares? If you enjoy it, why not? You only live once!

I have a Lectron on my '11 EC250R. Honestly, it behaves just like any other carb when it comes to starting cold, hot, or flooded IME. It is pretty nice that once adjusted you don't really need to mess with it for elevation/temp changes. Just be aware that it does lose some of the snap (throttle response) that a normal PWK carb has. I haven't decided if I'm going to keep it or go back to a PWK air striker carb. We'll see, I guess.

 

[jerseymike]

I only feel like that in the summer months. The heat has always kicked my butt and I had the smart idea to move to the desert when I was 27, lol. Now at 51, the heat takes even more of a toll on my energy. The winter time I'm good to go all day with my kick only bikes but I'm still going to add e-start to both.


I love riding my older bikes. Makes the guys that drop $10k plus on a new one reevaluate their skills after getting passed by an older guy on my ancient "trail" bike KDX or even my now 10 years old Gasser.


Eh, dirt bikes are never a good financial decision but who cares? If you enjoy it, why not? You only live once!

I have a Lectron on my '11 EC250R. Honestly, it behaves just like any other carb when it comes to starting cold, hot, or flooded IME. It is pretty nice that once adjusted you don't really need to mess with it for elevation/temp changes. Just be aware that it does lose some of the snap (throttle response) that a normal PWK carb has. I haven't decided if I'm going to keep it or go back to a PWK air striker carb. We'll see, I guess.

I wonder if the new Billetron is any better/different than the original Electron. I'll ASSume, that if a bike falls over and get flooded, kick or button start, its not gonna start easy. As far as throttle response, I was thinking about getting an exhaust valve kit from S3, smooth out the power instead of having the "on/off" light switch type feel it has now.

 

[motorhead]

FWIW I started riding again last fall after a couple of years off, maybe one ride a year or so. Got together with some of my old motocross buddies, laid out some twisty singletrack on another buddies farm and couldn?t help but notice we are ALL riding early 2000 or late 90?s bikes.Back in the day we would buy new bikes every year, but man these days bikes are so much more expensive and we don?t race anymore. I look at it this way, my 05? 300 Gas Gas is capable of going way faster than I am able to ride it. So if I spend $10,000 on a new bike am I going to go that much faster, or have that much more fun? ?We? in our little crew cannot justify it in our opinions, but hey I’ll also be the first to admit that we are also generally frugal with our hard earned money (Cheap). Everyone is different though, some people have to have ?the new? this or that.

 

[blitz11]

So if I spend $10,000 on a new bike am I going to go that much faster, or have that much more fun? ?We? in our little crew cannot justify it in our opinions, but hey I?ll also be the first to admit that we are also generally frugal with our hard earned money (Cheap). Everyone is different though, some people have to have ?the new? this or that.

I love riding my older bikes. Makes the guys that drop $10k plus on a new one reevaluate their skills after getting passed by an older guy on my ancient "trail" bike KDX or even my now 10 years old Gasser.

Trust me, i wasn't that happy about dropping $10K on the new bike, and I wouldn't have if the e-start option were there. My old bike, outside of the e-start, is fine. My plan was to keep it and not buy new, but 100F in the black hills made it clear that if i want to hang with my buddies, i need the e-start.

Given my situation and condition, that $10K might be another 10 years of riding. $1K / year for riding is cheap.

 

[motorhead]

Trust me, i wasn't that happy about dropping $10K on the new bike, and I wouldn't have if the e-start option were there. My old bike, outside of the e-start, is fine. My plan was to keep it and not buy new, but 100F in the black hills made it clear that if i want to hang with my buddies, i need the e-start.

Given my situation and condition, that $10K might be another 10 years of riding. $1K / year for riding is cheap.

@Blitz11
Oh I totally get it, and my comment was not directed towards you. I?m right there with ya, at 55 I just recently realized that #1 I?m at the point where I longer want to lift my bike onto a crate stand. Yes I?m going to purchase a foot lever type stand. #2 I?ve been thinking of lowering my suspension, rode a lowered demo KTM @ Flat River Enduro 6 or so years ago and really liked the way it cornered. #3 probably should have never rode and E-start bike (Gas Gas, Husaberg, KTM) cause that sure would be nice also (my right hip is hurting from riding Thursday as I type this).
I was just trying to give another outlook on keeping an older bike.
I completely rebuilt the brakes last summer, and plan to rebuild the wheels this winter. My Son has put a bunch of money into his 02? 250 with rebuilt motor, springs and suspension revolve, mousse inserts, tires, 05? plastic, seat cover, graphics, Clarke tank, bars, bark busters, newer style headlight, f. Fender, fork guards. He was talking of a new bike last fall and I said I want your 02?, he said Oh no I?ll never sell that bike.

 

[jerseymike]

I only feel like that in the summer months. The heat has always kicked my butt and I had the smart idea to move to the desert when I was 27, lol. Now at 51, the heat takes even more of a toll on my energy. The winter time I'm good to go all day with my kick only bikes but I'm still going to add e-start to both.


I love riding my older bikes. Makes the guys that drop $10k plus on a new one reevaluate their skills after getting passed by an older guy on my ancient "trail" bike KDX or even my now 10 years old Gasser.


Eh, dirt bikes are never a good financial decision but who cares? If you enjoy it, why not? You only live once!

I have a Lectron on my '11 EC250R. Honestly, it behaves just like any other carb when it comes to starting cold, hot, or flooded IME. It is pretty nice that once adjusted you don't really need to mess with it for elevation/temp changes. Just be aware that it does lose some of the snap (throttle response) that a normal PWK carb has. I haven't decided if I'm going to keep it or go back to a PWK air striker carb. We'll see, I guess.

@Blitz11
Oh I totally get it, and my comment was not directed towards you. I?m right there with ya, at 55 I just recently realized that #1 I?m at the point where I longer want to lift my bike onto a crate stand. Yes I?m going to purchase a foot lever type stand. #2 I?ve been thinking of lowering my suspension, rode a lowered demo KTM @ Flat River Enduro 6 or so years ago and really liked the way it cornered. #3 probably should have never rode and E-start bike (Gas Gas, Husaberg, KTM) cause that sure would be nice also (my right hip is hurting from riding Thursday as I type this).
I was just trying to give another outlook on keeping an older bike.
I completely rebuilt the brakes last summer, and plan to rebuild the wheels this winter. My Son has put a bunch of money into his 02? 250 with rebuilt motor, springs and suspension revolve, mousse inserts, tires, 05? plastic, seat cover, graphics, Clarke tank, bars, bark busters, newer style headlight, f. Fender, fork guards. He was talking of a new bike last fall and I said I want your 02?, he said Oh no I?ll never sell that bike.

Ok, so If you dont go out and bike a $10k bike, how much is the older bike worth to you, to put $ into and where is the cut off line? You can get a good 1-2 year old used bike for $8-7k, then of course spend a little more putting stuff on that you would want, or you can throw some money into the older bike. But how much? Where is that point where if you are putting money into an older bike, could you have just used that $, sell the older bike, and get that newer bike? The money your son put into his 02, could have been used to get a newer bike. Or is it that, when we get or find something we like or own for a while, we get attached to it and just want to hang on. Or is it we want to put money into it to keep it somewhat fresh and annoy the guys with the newer bikes that paid $10k, knowing that we might be close to that sum of money with all the work and updates on our older bike?

By the way, how much did your son spend on all those parts for the 02?

 

[SS109]

I wonder if the new Billetron is any better/different than the original Electron. I'll ASSume, that if a bike falls over and get flooded, kick or button start, its not gonna start easy. As far as throttle response, I was thinking about getting an exhaust valve kit from S3, smooth out the power instead of having the "on/off" light switch type feel it has now.

No clue on the new version Lectron. However, if you want to mellow the power a bit then the Lectron will do it for you. See, I like the opposite. I love a snappy throttle!

What is the bike, and upgrading it, worth to YOU! Only you can decide what your $$$ limit is.

 

[motorhead]

Ok, so If you dont go out and bike a $10k bike, how much is the older bike worth to you, to put $ into and where is the cut off line? You can get a good 1-2 year old used bike for $8-7k, then of course spend a little more putting stuff on that you would want, or you can throw some money into the older bike. But how much? Where is that point where if you are putting money into an older bike, could you have just used that $, sell the older bike, and get that newer bike? The money your son put into his 02, could have been used to get a newer bike. Or is it that, when we get or find something we like or own for a while, we get attached to it and just want to hang on. Or is it we want to put money into it to keep it somewhat fresh and annoy the guys with the newer bikes that paid $10k, knowing that we might be close to that sum of money with all the work and updates on our older bike?

By the way, how much did your son spend on all those parts for the 02?

I feel as if you?re asking a question that only YOU can answer? I?ll ask my Son how much he has spent on the 02? as I do not recall, I can reply now though with confidence that he will reply ? it was a lot freaking less than a new bike! That?s for damn sure?. IMO new does not always necessarily mean better. BUT as I stated before, SOME people HAVE TO have the new. Which type are you? I can?t answer that for you. Resale value on a boutique dirt bike is sub par on a good day-you should know that going in. Lots of folks on here riding older Gasser?s. Ride whatever puts a smile on your face=after all that?s why we started riding in the first place right?

 

[jerseymike]

I guess something is worth putting money into it until its not. I LOVED my 99 Lexus LS400, but parts got more scarce and expensive. I still think, maybe if i put $ into it, I wouldnt have spent as much as the car i got as its replacement, but ill never know that. Same with the older bike. Something about it makes me want to put the time and money into instead of keeping the 16 year newer bike. Dont know why, cant put it into words, I just think "i can do this and this, buy this, get this, put this on there and it'll be great!" until i go to start it and it wont start for whatever reason and i get annoyed and wonder why i didnt keep the newer bike.

When i was single, someone said "if you meet 2 girls around the same time and you like them both, date the 2nd girl because if you liked the 1st girl that much, you never would have met the 2nd one". Makes sense. So, either I dont like the NEWER bike that much which is why i keep thinking about the older bike OR if i liked the older bike that much, i never would have bought the 2nd bike.

Maybe i let fate make the decision. Put both bikes up for sale and keep the bike thats not sold.